The recently-released DLC packs — Harvest Scramble, Summer Scramble and Hot Spring Scramble — were created as the result of a fan-vote in Japan. These light-hearted missions feature new conversations between fan-favourite characters, as well as exclusive artwork.

One of those pieces of artwork — found in Summer Scramble — has been censored for the North American release. It's an image of Tharja in a bathing costume, and while the Japanese original shows a full, unimpeded shot of her derrière, the Western equivalent covers up her rear-end with a piece of cloth.

Here's the original:

And here's the version that North American players get to see:

Predictably, fans are up in arms regarding this move, which many claim actually makes the image even more suggestive, as it's more about what you can't see than what you can.

What makes the whole thing even more confusing is that an image of Cordelia trying to cover her modesty as her bikini top slips off has been allowed to stand without any kind of censorship — we don't know about you, but this strikes us as a much racier picture.

Summer Scramble also features Chrom in his shorts — predictably, that image is deemed perfectly acceptable as well.

Summer Scramble costs $2.50, but you can pick up all three "Scramble" packs for $6.50. Have you already played this DLC? Do you think Nintendo was right to censor the image of Tharja, but allow the others to stand? Let us know your thoughts by posting a comment below.

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I don't agree that it's the "what you don't see" that makes the NA image racier... as pointed out by people all over the web, it's the fact that it looks like a cape, as if someone is watching her undress and she's just realised. Regardless of whether it was the right or wrong thing to do, they've definitely made it worse!

Why is this in a Fire Emblem in the first place. I'm kinda disappointed that the big N even put this stuff in. This isn't Dead or Alive and I'd like to keep it that way. Why does even Nintedo need to put this stuff in their games!? Can't we keep anything clean these days! I do agree that there is something just plan suggestive about the cloth cover up. If they are gonna change it they should have altered the actual picture so her bikini bottem is on right.

People constantly think the word "Censoring" I really don't think its much censoring because Nintendo is letting us believe she's wearing no shorts. And considering they were ok with Cordelia's picture I just think this was just a way to get players interested in the DLC.Now on the whole DLC itself. Is this the only prize you win when beating the DLC?

@Jaz007 The DLC packs are themed around seasons. This is the summer pack, so characters are in beach clothes. There's nothing 'dirty' about it. Do you visit the beach and complain that everyone there is dirty? It's bonkers when society is so much more okay with violence than seeing a bit of flesh on show.

@Hunter-D lol what you thought maybe black bikini? xD its the same o.O

but i agree the censored one makes it look more naughty then the original if the game is rated T it should of been ok maybe thats why you shouldnt have beach related stuff then? -.- but yeah dont think we even needed any censor jeez and this is why some say nintendo is childish

@Peach64 These pictures are quite dirty. It's not just showing them in a swim suit. It's showing a girl pull down down her bikini bottem a bit and showing a girl just barley keeping her bikini top which has been taken off and is now being barley held there in a way that's lets you see more of her. These are of a pornographic nature. From when I looked at Chrom I didn't notice him pulling his pants down (hope something's not slipping by me here). That would be what you expect when you go to a beach, not a girl who is sorta holding her disconnected bikini on. Just showing them in their beach clothes normally a beach wouldn't have them standing there pulling their bottom down.

anyone who enjoys it that much as to be real upset about it well... they just saw it now. for sure the new one looks worse. gives it the feeling that someone is standing there about to do something. Just the tip of the iceberg in terms of really twisted Japanese 'adult' material. It'd be nice if they could just refrain all together with hyper-sexualizing every image of every woman at every age in japanese games anyway, it's pretty old and gross.

I've always found it stupid why NoA censor games, I mean what's the point? You can still find the same thing in different places even more easily and not only that people will tend to discard nintendo and its titles for being like this, example MK, I switched to Sega for being more loyal to the arcade because of the censorship.

And Nintendo wonders why some 3rd party developers don't want to mess with them because of stuff like this!! All this kind friendly non-sence ofcourse their gonna think their M rated game is just not gonna sale on it.

Whatever just don't let me hear of you doing something like this again or you'll be sorry > Also maaaan that image was HOT but still didn't deserve to get censored like that.

I mean, I'm very much against these pictures (I mean Chrom looks pretty spicy but...) I really don't think it's appropriate. After watching anime and things, I know that fan service like this happens often in Japan. I don't approve, probably because of my Christian values :3.I'm still gonna play this game, but of course I'm not gonna buy the DLC :3.

But seriously, that cloth. It makes it look so much more sexy then the original already is >_<.

I would really prefer if they had just left it alone. The first image was fine; the only thing that made it a little suggestive were her hands I guess, but really it just looks like she's adjusting the fabric. And her face makes her seem kind of annoyed, which makes the image cute and funny to me.

The "censored" picture is ugly with the cloth, doesn't really cover up much more of the girl, (only the bikini part really) and as others have mentioned, makes it appear as though she's not wearing anything. Good job, North America :/

I also don't understand why "girl standing in a bikini" is inappropriate while "girl's bikini top actually falling off" is not?

Well it is typical for America to censor this kind of stuff. America is way to afraid to let your children see some flesh. But give a 5 year old a deadly gun for his birthday seems fine. Until that 5 year old shoots his 2 year old little sister.

If you want to se a woman in a bikini just type bikini in the google picture search.

The game is rated T, I don't really see the problem with the original pictures for the intended demographic. It's weird they allowed the picture with Cordelia considering it's far more suggestive to me than Tharja's but even so the game is rated T. There is nothing here you don't see at the beach or the city pool.

Though I guess I'm a little confused, as isn't the game rated Teen, with a "Mild Suggestive Themes" warning? Shouldn't this have already been covered by the rating? I guess I'm not sure who they're trying to protect, exactly.

Although I understand some fans might be upset about Fire Emblem's characters being promoted in a somewhat promiscuous manner, (which I do understand, as it kind of devalues the experience a bit with blatant fanservice) but at least it's optional content. Though for once I would like to see swimsuit pictures that aren't intended to be provocative. I feel bad that these characters aren't allowed to go swimming without being sexualized, lol.

@Harrison_Peter "I don't agree that it's the 'what you don't see' that makes the NA image racier... as pointed out by people all over the web, it's the fact that it looks like a cape, as if someone is watching her undress and she's just realised."

And that's exactly what is happening. She's changing into a bathing suit when Anna walks in on here and then a conversation about Tharja's body commences.

I've played the DLC, and it's more funny than anything. The conversations are silly in a fun way.

I always find it hilarious that this country freaks out over a little skin or the f-bomb, but is perfectly fine allowing TV shows and games show heads getting ripped off and endless blood and killing. Aw well.

One way or the other, I was raised in the 80ies and nudity never was something perverted but natural. None of those pictures shown would be a reason for me to hide them from my children. The more you make something a tabu yourself the worse it actually gets. No "interaction" between characters or really revealing shots are shown, basicly: theres nothing to see you can't also see at some public lake/ocean and if you're kids are not okay with that you're bad at parenting.

Okay, you've got our attention by your censorship, Nintendo. But for what, exactly? I mean, is this the kind of censorship that's really worth getting upset over-- some hypersexualized anime bimbo? This is the crap worth liberating from the dictatorial grasp of Big Brother N? Yeah, yeah, the hypocrisy of the West, allowing violence but censoring the sexual-- what else is new. YAWN. I'd like to see these fanboys get the guts to get off their keyboards and out in to Real Life to picket the Nintendo offices over this-- this, this... outrage! Just for the rights to view some animated girl's bikini ass. [Scoffs, shakes head]

Well, it's not like the FE series has been brought to a kind of smutty sensationalism, right? Not a drop in quality anywhere, just the same great drama of stories and characters in the tradition of the series' past. And hey, how about those microtransactions that will all round up with your initial purchase to double the cost of what you paid? Nothing to picket over there. So, be of good cheer then, children! You'll always have your dedicated hentai sites to make up for such a blunder. =)

@Rect_Pola Hey, 'Rect-Pola, has this made your head explode? Hahaha XD

Well mateys, I be ABSOLUTELY amazed at this one. I come here for video game news or reviews and I get a feature article about butt cheeks.

Are the majority of you so INSANELY thick that you can't realize the point of the censorship was to keep the game classy enough so as not to show bare butt cheeks? If you think the cloak cover makes it look like something else, that's how you're dirty mind works. Use your brains for ONE time. Just ONCE. Please. If you watch a movie and see someone get shot off screen, can you still imagine the dude getting shot? Ya. But if they actually show the dude get shot and his head explodes in a bloody mess the kid watchin it is gonna get disturbed, desensitized to violence, and go on a shooting spree 8 years later.

It takes a little bit of inner strength, ya know, somethin heroes have, not overweight people that live in their mom's basement and talk on video game forums, to be able to stand for somethin. This game has the stance that we're not gonna show butt cheeks cause it ain't classy. Chrom's shorts don't show cheek so I have no idea why his pic is even in the article.

This is officially the last time I visit this site. It's coming off my bookmarks bar. Keep putting up pointless dirty articles on here. I think you're making a GREAT contribution to the world

@shinobi88 I would imagine that a movie that shows someone's head exploding in a bloody mess of gore would be rated 18+. So the kid shouldn't have been there, unless the parents decided that bloody gore is something their child is mature enough to be subjected to. That's what the rating is for.

Also, whether or not you find butt cheeks classy, the "censored" version still shows almost as much "cheek". People aren't arguing about whether the original image is classy as much as they are discussing whether the "censored" version really accomplished anything.

On a related note, I guess I can't go swimming anymore without a curtain over my rear end? Keep it classy?

@Waann
Hmmm, I guess you should double check that, cause in the Americas the game has these descriptions: "Alcohol Reference, Fantasy Violence, Mild Language, Mild Suggestive Themes."
Besides, detailed explanation of the ESRB says "a few characters also wear low-cut tops that reveal deep cleavage" and "During the course of the game, there is occasional suggestive dialogue/text."

@shinobi88 That implies the game had class to begin with, which, if the censorship is any primary indication, had none in the first place. (Play any of the earlier FE games in this series and you'll understand where I'm coming from.)

Myself, after having learned how to be master over my desires, I expect a modicum more maturity in this medium now, naïve an expectation as that may be. To quote Bill Sampson in the classic film All About Eve: "The one thing - what I go after, I want to go after. I don't want it to come after me."

So, they can keep their "suggestive themes." As a grown 29-year-old man, I expect better.

@Rod64 I did check it, otherwise I wouldn't have said it. From the PEGI official website:

"Fire Emblem: Awakening [www.nintendo-europe.com.]
Nintendo of Europe GmbH
The content of this game is suitable for persons aged 12 years and over only.
It contains: Mild bad language - Violence causing minor injury only"

I don't really care either way. It's not like people (obviously) can't find these images online without having even shelled out for the DLC in the first place. If someone wants to see the original, there it is.

Lol! What I think is even more crazy is all the sexual stuff that seems to be in this instalment of Fire emblem! Is Fire emblem always that sexual?! Nintendo isn't really the sex/violence company! Or is this a exception?

Ahhh, I mean... the real problem here and why they censor this stuff is just because there are too many people in Murica that will get angry about it. I guess in Japan fan service is just something they don't really care about it? I don't really know, but the point is that Nintendo probably just doesn't want to risk making some kids mom upset. Ehhh, whatever. I don't really care...

It's not like she was wearing a thong or anything, then I would understand why it would've been censored. But seriously, It looks like someone with a cape came when she was dressing (or undressing) and she's all surprised and trying to hide her buttocks. The fact there's that floating piece of fabric covering her bottoms makes it seem like she didn't have any, which worsens the image. This game is rated TEEN, not 3 and plus, for god's sake. And, first things first, I wouldn't give a game rated TEEN to a 5 years old. I think that Cordelia should've been censored, but I guess it would've been hard to have a random cape jump out of nowhere to cover her breasts. And also, I don't see parents hiding their kid's eyes at the beach when there's a woman in a bikini. Way to go, Nintendo.

I'm sure that we're all absolutely shocked by this situation. It's not like Nintendo of America has been making idiotic, pointless censors since the '80s or anything. No sir, this is completely out of character.